This clearinghouse brings together research, reports, data, and journalism that help illuminate the conditions shaping civil legal need in California. The collection goes beyond research produced by legal aid organizations to include data on issues such as housing, poverty, consumer debt, employment, health, disasters, access to public benefits, and other social and economic conditions that can create or contribute to civil legal problems.
Taken together, these resources provide context for understanding where and how legal needs arise, how those needs are changing over time, and where legal assistance can make a difference. The collection is intended as a resource for legal aid organizations, policymakers, researchers, advocates, funders, and other stakeholders seeking to understand trends affecting Californians and their access to civil justice.
This is a clearinghouse rather than an exhaustive database. Resources may be useful for research, policy development, grantmaking, program planning, advocacy, communications, or simply understanding the broader landscape in which civil legal needs emerge. We encourage members and other stakeholders to cite these resources, incorporate relevant findings into their own work, and suggest additional reports or articles for inclusion.
For more information or to suggest a resource, please contact LAAC’s Directing Attorney Zach Newman at ZNewman@LAACOnline.org.
For research produced by LAAC, please visit our Research Page.